Tifoso48

So, I own a MY2022 Selenite Grey SL63 with all the goodies - incl. Carbon Ceramic Brakes, Hi - end audio etc, etc.
I really like this car but with perfect hindsight I wish I had opted for a more colorful approach. Repainint is obviously not an option and selling this one and buying a new one also sounds pretty crazy.

So, I have been looking at wraps and I truly did not know how much of a world of wraps is out there and getting an objective opinion is also quite challenging.
The color choices and various finishes really give you a headache too. I really am quite drawn to the Aston Martin Racing Green and the Green/Teal on the MB/AMG/Petronas Formula one car, but most of the wraps in that direction really end up being "screaming" colors.

So I found this attached photo of a wrap on a MB roadster which gets pretty close and I would like to get your opinions please.

drgek

FWIW I think that's a great color.

My SL55 is white (was the only one I could find at the time) and I have considered doing a wrap. I will be curious to know what you decide to do.

js_cls

Green should look excellent on the SL. I think you should go for it!

W205C43PFL

It will look wonderful, it presents the sporty vibe of the R232 very well.

Wolfman

Strongly recommend to see the wrap in the flesh. Pictures can be deceiving.

Seems too cheap as well. Check if they do door jambs. If not, this will look terrible when opening the door on a convertible. showing the selenite gray door with green wrap IMO

W205C43PFL

Perhaps it is my phone screen playing tricks but it does look pretty nice viewing OP's picture but I second the advice of seeing it in person.

Tifoso48

Please note the ad in the photo is not in US $ and is material only. I checked today with a local installer and I believe the cost will be around $ 5 k. However, for sure I will want to see in person.

it is amazing how many manufacturers there are and I am learning quickly they are not all created equal.
unfortunately the best products do not necessarily have the best colors. I am leaning towards 3 M, but still learning and evaluating.

W205C43PFL

See if they can provide an accurate sample that you can take outside in different lighting conditions, such as overcast, sunshine, at night with artificial lighting plus in foggy conditions.

kcirm

Hey man, I'm going to the same thinking.

I think I'll be doing the FlexiShield Pine Green. Aa a cosmetic PPF it'll perform was better and look less cheap than a wrap. Look into it, it's sick!

Tifoso48

I am constantly amazed how much I do not know. Well, this week has been all about learning about Vinyl wraps and PPF's.
I have met/talked with the leading vinyl and ppl installers in the DMV and I feel pretty good about my level of information.

Net, net - the reason for wanting to change colors was not that I hated Selenite Grey6, quite the opposite is true. However, my last two cars before - a Ferrari 458 Coupe and my AMG GTS were all in the identical or similar color and I think I just got tired of sameness.

So, here is my take on Vinyl wraps. They are generally good for three years and removing them is not tough for professionals, however, there is a better than average chance that after the vinyl is removed that there is adhesive residue on the paint that needs to be removed in a separate and time consuming process.
And of course removing vinyl is not free but will probably add about $ 2k.

There are lots and lots of products, many made in China which apparently are quite challenging with the adhesive being used and significant fading issues.
There is also no doubt that many vinyls have a distinct "film" look to it, are glossy beyond reason or are simply screaming. To be clear there are lots of high quality products made in Europe and the USA with great colors which would look fabulous on this car.
However, the biggest obstacle for me - personally- is that wrap stops at the outside of the door. So when you open the car doors you plainly will see that this is just a wrap. Yes, of course if you are willing to set no limits you can wrap the inside of the door, the thresholds etc. However, that will require the removal of the door and I would be very concerned allowing a vinyl installer to mess with the electrics/electronics embedded in a door these days.
Net, net - I really do not want all those negatives for what very well may be a temporary emotion about the color of my car.

So, change of plans ---- I am going to go with a high quality XPEL ppt for the entire front and the rockers and do a Ceramic Coating for the rest of the vehicle.

The good news -- I have gained a lot of knowledge I did not have at the beginning of the week.

W205C43PFL

That is some great knowledge and I appreciate that you decided to share the knowledge with us forum members, thank you.

wem

My original plan with my 232 SL55 was to have the XPEL ppf installed on the front portion of the car. However, when I took delivery of the car, I discovered that with the pop out doors and the shape of the doors, my wife's ring would easily scratch the door above the the handle. I bit the bullet and had the entire car covered with Xpel ppf. I had ceramic coating applied on top of the ppf, but to be honest I have never found the ceramic coating to do much. This is the second car that I had ceramic coating on top of ppf (the other car was an Aston Martin).

Tifoso48

Thank you and there’s one other aspect I should have mentioned.

Vinyl wraps are much thinner than PPFs and if they get hit by a pebble they likely will tear and expose the original color below.Ergo, it would make sense to put a ppf over it.

First of all it doubles the initial cost but more important is to consider the difference in life span - 3 years for vinyl,and 10 years for ppf . When it is time to replace the vinyl the ppf has not even reached the halfway point.

of course this only is a consideration for folks who keep their cars for a while.

W205C43PFL

This is especially true!

ILoveNY

This looks emerald green